Are you a solo artist or a former salon owner who scaled back your operations to a few, or just you? 

According to a 2022 article on Beauty Launchpad, the number of independent hairstylists in the United States is well above half a million and gradually increases yearly. Between salons cutting back after the pandemic and stylists venturing out on their own, the stats for independent salon professionals will continue to rise.

Whether you’ve gone solo to be your own boss or prefer working alone to escape the drama of some large salons, the independent life can be an amazing experience. However, the main downside of being in business for yourself as the sole operator is that everything in your business falls on your shoulders. 

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Business Basics for Booth & Suite Renters

If you haven’t already, you’ll soon learn that there simply are not enough hours to get everything done and service your clients how they deserve. So, how do you run a successful solo business where most of your time is spent servicing your clients? You get help… 

Between local and industry connections and the use of technology, here’s what you need to know to succeed as a solopreneur.

Get & Stay Stocked Up

Look to your distributor for help. Many offer mini intro kits to help solo artists get stocked up and running without significant expense. It’s usually just the right amount of color, back bar shampoo and conditioner, and styling products to keep operations moving along. If you have the room for retail, they can help you out there too. 

Some distributors may even have a salon ordering system, so you can place orders online versus constantly running to your local beauty supply.

Get a Handle on Your Back Bar

There are digital tools to help you calculate the exact cost of products used from your back bar, manage your inventory and digital color formulas, and ultimately boost your cash flow. A back bar management app can automate cost and inventory tracking and directly connect your day-to-day back bar usage to your supply. 

Use a Virtual Front Desk

If you are a booth renter in a rental salon, you might have access to the salon’s front desk to help take bookings, check clients in and out, and process payments. You likely won’t have that same luxury in a single station or suite situation. Also, in some states, independent operators in a rental salon must make their own bookings, maintain their own client data, and process their own payments.

However you operate, a virtual front desk is a good option to take some of the burden off your shoulders. Your virtual receptionist can manage calls, return messages, help clients book appointments, and do most of the tasks a front desk would handle, just without the desk or a person physically in your business. 

Streamline Consultations

Consider using a virtual consultation platform instead of taking up time on your schedule with free consultations. It’s a better way to hone in on what each client wants and the state of their hair so that you can respond after hours (or whenever) with a realistic timeframe and accurate pricing for the desired service/outcome.

Make it Easy for Clients to Book Appointments

Although there will always be a handful of clients who want you to schedule their appointments for them, more people are opting to book online. That’s why it’s essential to have an online booking system in place so clients can make their own appointments when they feel like it. Offering online booking also frees you up to work behind the chair – where you make money. 

Just let your clientele know about the option to schedule appointments online. Then, make booking easy by having a Book Now button on your website and list your link on your social media and all communications with your clients: newsletters, emails, text marketing, etc.

Use Automation to Confirm/Remind Clients

The last thing you want to do after a busy day on your feet is call/text/email clients individually to confirm their appointments for the next day. Instead, look to automated confirmations and reminders to do the work for you. Just set up the desired release time for communications and let the system do the rest.

In addition to lowering the number of late cancellations and no-shows, these automated communications are a huge time saver for you and a convenient reminder for your clients. 

Simplify Checking Clients In 

Using curbside check-in will make it easy for clients to let you know they have arrived. The system will initiate a color change on your schedule and send you a notice by text. Simply text back to ask your client to come inside for their service. 

Provide an Easy Way for Clients to Pay

Whether done chairside in your salon suite or at a rental salon front desk, use a point-of-sale system with integrated payment processing so the checkout is seamless. 

You can also opt for a card-on-file feature for a hands-free checkout. The feature has the added benefit of helping you enforce your cancelation policy by placing a value on your time. In the case of a late cancellation or no-show, you can easily charge the card the amount or percentage stipulated in your policy.

The other benefit of integrated payment processing is that you don’t have to enter the amount into a device – your software does it for you. And reports come from the system itself versus having to reconcile amounts when batching out for the day.

Offer Retail without Taking up Space

Many independent stylists sell retail as a way to cover their booth or suite rent. In a salon suite, limited room, and let’s be honest – expense – usually mean skipping selling retail. If you’re in a rental salon, they may (or may not) want you to sell their inventory of home care products, but that usually means two payment transactions for the client. One for your services and another for the products through the salon. Not the best experience for your clients.

Instead, consider offering your favorite products through your online store, where your distributor fulfills the orders for you. That way, you make commissions on the sale without having to buy, store, and ship the product yourself.

Make Sure Your Clients Can Find You

Having an online presence is a good idea for your business – that way, your clients can always find you. 

Having a website and a good social media presence are great ways to start. On your website, list your hours of operation, location, and service pricing and packages so they don’t have to call or text to ask. Provide a link to your online booking so they can schedule their own appointments and have quick access to your online store so they can shop with you when it’s convenient for them.

You’ll also want to list your business with local directories and create a Google My Business account. Also, set up accounts wherever needed so that your clients can give you a review: Google Reviews, Yelp, etc.

Grow as an Independent: Network Locally & Support Your Community

To continue spreading the word about your business, go online to search for local business networks and community events, and get involved as much as you can. Naturally, you’ll want to pick and choose where it makes the most sense for you to participate, but having a local presence and getting involved with community projects can bring in new clients.

Keep Your Chair Filled

It might be wise to partner with an experienced beauty business marketing firm to help with customer relationship management (also known as CRM). They’ll help create sales funnels and marketing automation that help convert leads into paying clients. 

Click here to find an easy checklist to help you compete with the bigger salons down the street: all of the things of a commission salon but as an independent salon professional.